I have been looking forward to this outing all week, I had heard from friends that Asthall Manor is a real gem and they were right. The biennial on form sculpture show dedicated to the medium of stone is held in the manor grounds until the 15th July, and it is truly inspiring. Over 150 sculptures are dotted around the gardens with figures appearing from the flower borders, shapes at the end of yew tunnels, carved seed pods in the beautifully painted church and stone tentacles rise from the wild flower meadow. Oh and there is some delicious tunisian orange cake being served up by Thyme at the Potting Shed, what’s not to love. …READ MORE…

Yesterday I took the grandparents and kids along to Eastleach House open gardens, which is down the road, past the church and up the hill from my allotment. The garden or house cannot be seen from the road which makes it all the more surprising when you discover it’s hidden splendour. It is the most utterly beautiful example of a english country garden with small interconnecting rooms of the most tasteful colour schemes and garden design. The thing I really love about it is that tasteful weeds and self seeders are allowed to do their thing below the copious amount of clipped yew and box. My kids loved the rill which I hooked them out of, and the springy lawn where they could do their gymnastics routine for the audience of ladies and gents scoffing cream teas.

Can you improve on perfection? well I would of liked to of seen more veg and fruit being grown amongst this garden which in my opinion would make it all the more perfect…..oh and perhaps a few peacocks or ducks strutting around on the lawn. …READ MORE…

It’s that time of year again to take a trip down a country lane to find the delicate elderflowers hanging briefly from the elder tree, the season is short so grab some while you can. I have made 2 cordial recipes, one with more fruit and less sugar and the other with an obscene about of sugar and lemons, tomorrow will be the taste test! …READ MORE…

I have had a busy weekend making this shelter at the end of my garden, it is a shrine to tomatoes and in a few weeks basil – plus a few peppers if I can squeeze them in too. To some it may not be the prettiest of structures but I rather love it. Inside I have growing yellow pear, gardeners delight, costoluto fiorentino, beefsteak, tiny tim and dolcevita, the tiny tims will be potted out when it gets a bit warmer to grow on the patio. A huge thankyou has to go out to my friend Mike who helped build this architectural beauty, we will be sharing some tomatoes later in the year. …READ MORE…

After a lovely dog walk in the rain, and just before I had to dash out on the school club run, I spent an hour drawing these wild flowers picked from alongside the country lanes. One of my absolute favourite wild flower is the cowslip also known by the kids as fairy cups. What I didn’t realise is that the flowers have the most delicious scent of honeysuckle and are edible, so throw them in your salad bowl. …READ MORE…

Here are some of my favourite garden views taken in cornish national trust gardens. The magnolias were magnificent with their large teardrop petals and the gunnera were just about large enough to use as umbrellas. …READ MORE…

As I wander around the kitchen, dairy, and laundry room I start thinking about all the gardeners that must of lived and worked here with their potting sheds, seed tins, favourite tools, notebooks etc, now that’s something I would love to see.